A New Master
by NeoVaihlo
Summary: Ash, Dawn, Pikachu and Brock face a new ally and rival in Kaede, a smooth talking, tough running Pokemon trainer out to prove that he can beat Ash at anything, all while Dawn slowly falls for the red headed trainer.


Kaede's Team:

Hitmontop

Quilava

Luxio

Golduck

Sneasel

Pidgeot

A New Master

Chapter 1: A Fateful Dawn

The birds chirped sharply in the early morning breeze that played with the sleeping trainer's hair as he slept. He felt consciousness tug at him, and he rolled over, pulling his sleeping bag tighter around him as he did so. Two small, furry hands pushed against his face and gently shook him, followed by the all too familiar voice of the trainer's first partner.

"Pika-pika." said the yellow electric pokemon as it tried futilely to wake its sleeping friend.

"Mmm, Mom, five more minutes." the trainer mumbled. Pikachu lowered its head and sighed in frustration.

"Pikachu, what's wrong?" came a feminine voice from the opened flap of a tent. Dawn, the rookie trainer in the group, looked around and saw what was happening. Brock, the group's breeder and energetic skirt chaser, was preparing breakfast with his ever vigilant Croagunk watching, its cheek sacs inflating and deflating as it breathed. And finally, still wrapped up in his sleeper was Ash, the pokemon master to be, halfway between the world of the awake and Dreamland. With a sigh, Dawn reached into her bag and pulled out a red and white ball with a black line running through the middle. Tapping the small button on the ball, its grew to ten times its shrunken size, now roughly the size of a softball. Dawn lightly tossed the Pokeball onto the ground and watched as it popped open, emitting a bright light as it expelled its occupant, a small blue and white bird like pokemon, Piplup.

"Piplup," Dawn said, causing the little bird to look up at her curiously. "A wake up is required." she said, nodding in Ash's direction. The small Water pokemon hopped up and down in joy and blasted Ask with a barrage of bubbles from its open beak.

"Argh! I'm awake! I'm awake!!" Ash shouted as the bubbles popped against him, soaking through the bag and his clothes. Pulling himself from the wet contents of the bag, Ash looked over at Dawn with a slight scowl. "You know, a kick would have sufficed." he said as he got to his feet. Dawn stuck her tongue out and smiled, tilting her head to the side and crossing her arms behind her back.

"But this is more fun."

"Mmm, Brock! This stew is amazing!" Ash commented as he took a breath after his forth bowl was empty. It was mid afternoon, and they had been traveling for over four hours as they headed to Pastoria City. Brock chuckled as he refilled Ash's bowl and turned to check on the pokemon. Each was at its own bowl, the food he had prepared quickly vanishing. Brock started to look away, then did a double take. There was an extra pokemon in their midst.

"Ash, we got a visitor." he called, causing Ash to surface from his lunch. A black, yellow and blue cat-like pokemon was eating out of the same bowl as Turtwig, though the two seemed to be exchanging hostile glares.

"Oh, a Luxio." Dawn said as she noticed it and pulled her Pokedex out.

_"Luxio, the Spark Pokemon. Its claws loose electricity with enough amperage to cause fainting."_ the pink machine said as the pokemon's data was brought up.

"Wow, sounds powerful, huh Pikachu." Ash said as he walked over to get a better look. The Luxio suddenly looked up sharply and backed away growling, sparks jumping from its paws. "Whoa calm down there, its alright." he said, raising his hands and backing away.

"Yo!" came a voice from the woods. Ash jumped and looked up. A teen boy had stepped out of the woods, a Hitmontop hanging off his shoulder. "Mind not touching my Luxio?" he asked. Hearing its name, the electric pokemon turned and ran over to its trainer.

"Hi there." Dawn called as she looked the trainer up and down. Wavy, medium length red hair, black and blue pants, black and red jacket with a black and white vest overtop, and a black glove on his left hand. Dawn suddenly felt her face grow hot, and she turned away, embarrassed.

"Yo." he said again, giving her a two fingered salute. Ash stared in awe at the trainer's Hitmontop as it eyed Pikachu intently, leering.

"Oh yeah, my name's Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." Ash said as he extended his hand.

"My name is Brock, from Pewter City." Brock said as he walked over, wiping his hands on a towel.

"I'm Dawn from Twinleaf Town." Dawn added shyly, her face turning a brighter red as she eyed the trainer again.

"Name's Kaede Rizuka from Goldenrod City." the trainer said as he grabbed Ash's hand and gave it one hard shake. "Where you three headed?" he asked as he looked around all of the pokemon.

"Pastoria City, why?" Ash said as he started pulling his pokemon back into their Pokeballs.

"I'm heading that way myself, need another badge." Kaede said as he returned Luxio to its ball.

"Really? How many you got so far?" Ash asked in excitement.

"This will be my fifth one." Kaede said as he walked over to the camp.

"Wanna come with us?" Brock asked as he put his cooking supplies away.

"Him! With us?!" Dawn shrieked, causing everyone to look at her.

"Why not?" Ash asked as he looked between the two.

"Um, I'm okay with that." she said, turning away and occupying herself with Piplup and Buneary.

"Think we can have a battle before hitting the city?" Ash asked as he rung out his sleeping bag.

"Love to." Kaede said as he walked over to help Dawn with her tent, who turned red again.

Brock watched them all as he fastened his bag, shaking his head.

"Why can't girls fall for me like that?" he asked Croagunk, who croaked in response.


End file.
